Earth working tool for the rotor of rotary cultivating machines



Dec. 22, 1953 c HOWARD 2,663,241

EARTH WORKING TOOL FOR THE ROTOR OF ROTARY CULTIVATING MACHINES Filed March 7, 1950 INVENTOR. A.C. HQWAKD MQL Q Patented Dec. 22, 1953 EARTH WORKING TOOL FOR ,THE ROTOR vor" ROTARY CULTIYATING MACHINES;

Arthur Clifford Howard, East Horndon, England, assignor of one-half to Rotary Hoes Limited,

East Horndon, Essex, England Application March 7, 1950, Serial No. 148,034

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 18, 1949 1 Claim. (01. 97-212) This invention relates to an earth working tool, to extend in a generally radial direction from the rotor of a rotary cultivating machine, of which the rotor axis is transverse to the direction of travel of the machine.

The main object of the invention is to provide a tool of this kind which will enable the earth to be cultivated in an efficient manner.

According to the invention the tool, as viewed from the front when in its uppermost position on the rotor, is substantially of T-shape, comprising a stem carrying a head, and the front edge of the head is sharp-edged to provide a cutting edge, and extends well in advance of the front edge of the stem, which is also sharpedged to provide a cutting edge.

Preferably the centre line of the head (in a plane at right angles to the rotor axis) curves radially-inwardly from the cutting edge to the opposite edge, i. e., is raked, by an amount which is related to the forward travel of the machine during the cut.

Conveniently the cutting edge of the head is centrally pointed, and when the head is relatively wide, to serve, in' effect, as a spade, the cutting edge of the head, as viewed from above when the tool is in its uppermost position on the rotor, is V-shaped.

In this case the head, instead of being fiat, may be of shallow V-shape in front elevation, so that as the cutting edge slants backwards it maintains its radial distance from the axis of the rotor so that it cuts a level bottom, and also maintains the same rake and cutting clearance throughout the length of the cutting edge during the forward travel of the machine.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a rotor of a rotary cultivating machine fitted with an earth working spade-type tool according to the invention, the tool being shown in its uppermost position;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the tool from the front of the machine, i. e., from the right of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan of the tool;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the tool, taken mainly on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation, and

Figure 6 a plan, showing a pick-type form of tool according to the invention.

With reference first to Figures 1 to 4, only part of the rotor I0 is shown. The tool is, it will be observed from Figures 2 and 4, generally of T-shape in front elevation. comprising a stem ll carrying a head I2, and the front edge of the head is sharp-edged to provide a cutting edge l3 which extends well in advance of the front edge of the stem, which is also sharp-edged to provide a cutting edge I 4.,

The centre line ll of the head (see Figure 1) in a plane at right angles to the axis of the rotor 10 curves radially-inwardly from the cutting edge 13 to the opposite edge l8, 1. e., is raked, by an amount which is related to the forward travel of the machine during the out.

In the example shown the cutting edge [3 is assumed to be approximately, say, 15 inches from the rotor axis, and the head is given a rake of 1 5' of an inch per 5 degrees rotation of the rotor, so as to provide for a forward travel of the machine of 30 inches per revolution of the rotor.

In Figures 1 to 3 the cutting edge of the head comes to a central point 2| and, in point of fact, the cutting edge, as viewed from above when the tool is in its uppermost position on the rotor, is V-shaped, as shown by Figure 3, the two cutting edges l3a being substantially at right angles to one another.

Furthermore, the head instead of being fiat is of shallow V-shape when viewed from the front, as shown by Figures 2 and 4, so that as the cutting edge slants backwards it maintains its radial distance from the axis of the rotor so that it cuts a level bottom, and also maintains the same rake and cutting clearance throughout the length of the cutting edge during the forward travel of the machine.

Figure 1 also shows the end of the stem I l opposite the head as having a foot 26 with a toe portion 2'! extending well in' advance of the cutting edge M of the stem, the opposite ends of the foot being both bolted, as shown at 28, 29, to the rotor It). This method of supporting the tool from the rotor resists the tendency for the point 2| of the cutting edge of the head to be tilted outwardly.

It is preferred that the tool should be manufactured of cast steel. In the case ofthe tool shown its stem should be about 1% of an inch thick in the axial direction of the rotor, as shown by Figure 2, and about 2 inches wide in the circumferential direction of the rotor, as shown by Figure 1.

Thus, when cutting a sod with the spade-type implement of Figures 1 to 4, the sod cut by the head will be divided into two by the cutting edge :4 of the stem.

The implement shown by Figures 5 and 6 is of the pick-type, which is preferred for cultivating hard and stony'g'r'ound. This implement difi'ers from that of Figures 1 to 4 mainly in that the overall width of the head, as viewed from the front in Figure 2- or in the plan view oi-Figure 3;, is reduced to about sue-mire, and head. which is again shown as havinga cutting edge,

3|, which is V-shaped in plan in Figure 6, is fiat (Figure 5) instead of being of shallow V-shape, though it still extends well oft ting edge M of the stem n. The in of narrow-headed T-shape, as 'ewed inl 'igure fi.

What I claim as my inve'r'it f iii 1d; desire a secure by Letters Patent of the United States-is:

For use with the rotor of a rotary cultivating machine of which the rotor aiesis-trafisversetd the direction of travel of the machine; anyearth' working tool comprising a stem the longitudinal axis of which is adapted to fall on a radius of said rotor, a pair 0f beveled cutti l g' a longitudinal edge of said-stem, an attaching root at one eiidc if'siid 'st'lfi, said root adapted 56" overlie u V I face of Said V A 7 mg openings thectiirou to rec a taining means for securiiig'sai'd to dsaid-rotor,

V tioned i an earth working head secured to said stem at its end opposite from said root, the leading portion of said stem to which said head is connected losing a radial curve, said headhayingu-pwardly div'fgilt' fiariges" iorniirig with she stem a Y, the leading edges of said head being triangular in form with the apex of said triangle being posin adyance oi the beveled cutting edges of an asset and lower beveled cutting said * ed g'es' the leading triangular portion of said head- ARTHUR CLIFFORD HOWARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1919 192 Seck Aug. 12, 1913 156633692- Everist Mar. 6, 1928 2,083,662 Paris June 15, 1937 2 ,168,733 Dufour. Aug. 8 -1939 Number Gountny 3158 a 109,979 Australia ."Y;: 1940 

